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media captionThe Labour leader says it is 657 days since the PM announced he had a clear plan we have prepared to fix social care.
The lack of a clear government plan to fix social care is unforgivable , Sir Keir Starmer has said.
In Tuesday s Queen s Speech outlining the government s policies for the next year, there was a promise that proposals would be brought forward.
Boris Johnson made a pledge when he became prime minister in 2019 to fix the crisis in social care .
But the Labour leader said it was an insult to a whole nation to have not acted sooner or given further detail.
Local unsung heroes of the Covid pandemic honoured with new Somerset Medal
Dedicated volunteers from Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are among some of Somerset’s many unsung Coronavirus heroes who have been named as winners of the first ever Somerset Medal.
The Somerset Medal has been launched by Somerset County Council to say a heartfelt thank-you to the ‘best of the best’, with the winners announced on Somerset Day.
They include vaccination volunteers, food deliverers, PPE producers, pop-up shop keepers and a whole host of other good Samaritans who all went above and beyond to make sure Somerset kept going during the pandemic.
£5.7M scheme to improve concrete carriageway near M5 in Somerset will begin by early-2022
The money was originally announced in July 2020
16:32, 11 MAY 2021
Updated
The concrete carriageway connecting the M5 to the A38 near Wellington (Image: Daniel Mumby)
Work to improve the concrete carriageway which links a key Somerset town to the M5 motorway will begin by early-2022.
The fine details of the scheme, including any prolonged road closures and localised diversions, are still being worked out.
But officers have promised the work will begin soon, and will not clash with the ongoing upgrade of Junction 25, which is on course to be finished this summer.
Queen’s speech pledges planning reform but no details on social care
The Queen’s speech today revealed the government is still intent on overhauling the planning sector this parliament and said “proposals on social care reform will be brought forward” in 2021, while providing few details on these.
Local government representatives have expressed disappointment that more specific social care plans were not announced and warned that the proposals lack clarity in other areas.
Notes published alongside the speech say the expected health and care bill will “include provisions to improve the oversight of how social care is commissioned and delivered”, as well as “facilitating greater integration” through Integrated Care Systems.
Somerset flag flies in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge for Somerset Day today
The Somerset flag is being flown in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge this week to mark Somerset Day today (Tuesday, 11th May).
Somerset Day is this year focused on the campaign to ‘Fly the Flag for Somerset’, with organisers encouraging the people of Somerset to cover the county in red and yellow flags, bunting and window stickers.
The Somerset flag is already being flown in Burnham-On-Sea on the town’s flag pole next to the fountain in Old Station Approach.
It is also being flown in Market Street, Highbridge outside the Community Centre, below.